TV receiver with deformable front window of cabinet for compensating for assembly variation

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a structure of positioning a cathode ray tube in a cabinet of a television receiver. In the television receiver, at least one portion of each of front window frames of the cabinet for positioning the cathode ray tube therein is formed as to be elastically deformable outwardly due to a contacting relationship between the cathode ray tube and the cabinet when assembling them. Because at least one portion of each of the front window frames is elastically deformed, a variation in a dimensional relationship between the cabinet and the cathode ray tube caused when securing the cathode ray tube to the cabinet can be compensated. Preferably, the front window frame is formed in such a manner that a thickness thereof is gradually reduced from the proximal end toward the free end.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Industrial Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a television receiver (TV set)including a cathode ray tube and, more particularly, to a structure ofattaching the cathode ray tube to a cabinet of the television receiver.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In recent years, there has been increased a demand for a large-sizedcolor television receiver, and big receivers each having a display planeof 45 inches are manufactured and available. In such big receiver, alarge cathode ray tube has to be directly secured to a cabinet of thereceiver. A typical conventional structure of securing a cathode raytube is shown in FIG. 5. The drawing 5 is a vertical cross-sectionalview of a top portion of a television receiver provided with a cathoderay tube. In the drawing, a cabinet 3 includes a window A correspondingto a face (image display plane) 1a of a cathode ray tube 1. A boss 4 isintegrally formed on an inner side of a portion of the cabinetsurrounding the window A, i.e., a portion of the cabinet in contact witha peripheral edge portion of the face, and more briefly, a window frame3a. The boss 4 projects from the inner side of the window frame 3a. Atleast rosidual three bosses of the same kind as the boss 4 are alsoprovided at three portions of the window frame 3a. A metallic fixturebracket 2 of the cathode ray tube 1 is applied to a distal end of theboss 4 through a dimensional compensating member 6 and fixed to the boss4 by means of a screw fastener 5. Another dimensional compensatingmember 7 is interposed between the window frame 3a and the cathode raytube 1. In such a structure, a mutual positional relationship among thewindow frame 3a of the cabinet, the boss 4, the cathode ray tube 1 andthe bracket 2 including the structure of attaching the fixture metalpiece 2 to the cathode ray tube 1, may be variable. Thus, when thecathode ray tube 1 is secured to the cabinet 3, it is required toutilize the separate dimensional compensating members 6 and 7 in such amanner as to be shown in FIG. 5.

In the above-described structure which employs a plurality of separatedimensional compensating members, it is hard to assemble the receiver bya production machine automatically.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to facilitate accommodation of acathode ray tube into a cabinet of a television receiver.

In order to attain the object, the invention employs no separatedimensional compensating member to be interposed between the cabinet andthe cathode ray tube.

According to a primary aspect of the invention relating to a televisionreceiver, at least one portion of each of front window frames of acabinet for accommodating a cathode ray tube therein is formed to beelastically deformable outwardly due to contact between the front frameand the cathode ray tube when assembling them. As a result, a variationin a dimensional relationship between the cabinet and the cathode raytube when positioning the cathode ray tube in the cabinet can becompensated, thanks to elastic deformation of at least one portion ofthe front window frame.

One method of enabling at least one portion of the front window frame ofthe cabinet to be elastically deformable is to reduce a thickness of atleast one portion of each of the front window frames. It is preferableto gradually reduce the thickness of each of the front window framesfrom the proximal portion of the frame in communication with a top wall,side walls and a bottom wall, respectively, of the cabinet to the freeend.

It is also an effective means to provide a dimensional compensatingmember to the cabinet at a position where the front window frame is incontact with the cathode ray tube by integrally molding the dimensionalcompensating member with the cabinet main body, the member being formedfrom a rubber type elastomer resin and the like, for example, which issofter than the cabinet main body which is formed from a material ofstyrol plastic and the like. The integral molding (or insert molding)can be readily performed by previously positioning a dimensionalcompensating member in a mold cavity when the cabinet is manufacturedfrom resin by an injection-molding process.

Other features of the invention may become more apparent from thefollowing description with reference to the accompanied drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view showing one embodiment of atelevision receiver according to the invention, as viewed from the backside thereof, illustrative of a state before a cathode ray tube issecured to a cabinet;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a top portion of thetelevision receiver, showing a state that the cathode ray tube issecured to the cabinet and that a front window frame of the cabinet isnot deformed but is at a normal position;

FIG. 3 is a view of the same portion of the television receiver as FIG.2, illustrative of a state that the front window frame of the cabinet iselastically deformed;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional partial side view showing a state that adimensional compensating member is formed integrally with the cabinet onan inner side of the front window frame of the cabinet; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of a top portion of aconventional television receiver including a cathode ray tube.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a partially exposed perspective view illustrative of arelation ship between a cabinet 10 of a television receiver and acathode ray tube 8 which are to be assembled, as viewed from the backside thereof. Metallic fixing brackets 9 each having an opening for afastener 12 are fixedly attached at four corner positions on sidesurfaces of the cathode ray tube 8. The cabinet 10 is a box-like body ofwhich front and back faces are opened. The opened portion on the frontface of the box-like body is a window A corresponding to a face 8a ofthe cathode ray tube 8. In this specification, wall portions of thecabinet surrounding the window A and in contact with a peripheral edgeportion of the face 8a are defined as front window frames 10a, 10b, 10c,and 10d. Four bosses 11 for fixedly holding the cathode ray tube 8 areprovided integrally with the cabinet 10 on inner surfaces of the frontwindow frames so as to respectively correspond to four corners of therectangular window A. Each boss 11 is a female thread member. Thebrackets 9 are applied to distal ends of the bosses 11 and screws 12 areengaged in female thread holes of the bosses 11, thereby securing thebracket 9 to the boss 11.

Referring to FIG. 2, a thickness of the front window frame 10a isgradually reduced from the proximal end 10A in communication with a topwall of the cabinet 10 toward the free end 10B. It should be noted thatthe other frames 10b, 10c and 10d have the same form of thickness as theframe 10a. The form of the front window frame 10a assures relativelyready deformation of the front window frame 10a occurring elasticallyoutwardly, in accordance with the object of the invention. FIG. 2 showsa state that the cathode ray tube 8 has already been assembled in thecabinet 10. The front window frame 10a is at a normal position where itis not elastically deformed. In FIG. 2, a height 11a from a horizontalposition of the free edge 10B, regarded as a reference position, to adistal end position of the boss 11 is equal to an interval 9a betweenthe horizontal position of the free edge 10B and the position of thebracket 9. In this state, the interval 9a has a required correct valuesuch that a variation in a dimensional relationship between the bracket9 and the cathode ray tube 8 is minimized.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but in the drawing, the bracket 9 isnot correctly attached on the cathode ray tube 8, differently from FIG.2. More specifically, the interval 9b between the horizontal position ofthe free edge 10B and the position of the bracket is larger than theabove-described length 9a. Accordingly, the front window frame 10a iselastically deformed forwardly, that is, outwardly, by a distancecorresponding to the difference (9b-9a). A variation of the position ofthe bracket 9 on the cathode ray tube 8 is compensated thanks to theelastic deformation of the front window frame 10a. When the front windowframe 10a is obliquely deformed outwardly, the boss 11 provided on thefront window frame 10a may be also inclined away from the horizontaldirection, whereas it should be noted that state of the boss is notnecessarily drafted correctly in the drawing.

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational section illustrative of a state that adimensional compensating member 13 is formed integrally with the cabinetbody 10 on the inner side of the front window frame 10a of the cabinetbody 10, the dimensional compensating member being in a compressedcondition. The dimensional compensating member 13 is molded integrallywith the cabinet body during injection-molding the cabinet 11 of resin,and it may be regarded as one portion of the front window frame. Theother front window frames have also a dimensional compensating member,respectively. Preferably, all dimensional compensating members may beformed integrally as one piece member.

The dimensional compensating member 13 is softer than the resin materialof forming the cabinet, which dimensional compensating membercompensates a variation of the position of the bracket on the cathoderay tube 8, thanks to elastic deformation of the dimensionalcompensating member 13.

As will be apparent from the above, according to the invention, it ispossible to accommodate the cathode ray tube within the cabinet withoutseparate dimensional compensating members to be interposed between thecabinet and the cathode ray tube.

What is claimed is:
 1. A television receiver comprising a cabinet havinga front window frame with a top section, a bottom section and two sidesections for accommodating a cathode ray tube therein, wherein at leasta portion of each of the top section, the bottom section and the twoside sections is formed to be elastically deformable outwardly due tocontact between the cathode ray tube and the cabinet when assemblingthem, and a variation in a dimensional relationship between the cabinetand the cathode ray tube caused by a variation of position of a fasteneron the cathode ray tube is compensated by an elastic deformation of saidat least one portion of each of the top section, the bottom section andthe two side sections.
 2. A television receiver according to claim 1,wherein at least part of each of the top section, bottom section and twoside sections is reduced in thickness.
 3. A television receiveraccording to claim 1, wherein a thickness of each of the top section,bottom section and two side sections is gradually reduced from theproximal portion in communication with a top wall, side walls and abottom wall, respectively, of the cabinet toward the free end.
 4. Atelevision receiver according to claim 1, wherein a dimensionalcompensating member which is softer than a material of the cabinet bodyis provided at a position of the cabinet where each of the top section,bottom section and two side sections is in contact with the cathode raytube, the dimensional compensating member being formed integrally withthe cabinet body by molding.